Cuff-button



R. E. B. ALLEN.

c'uFF BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED ,MAR- 7. 1921.

Patented Dee. 6,1921.

,Zkaemtor: 22, 21.25. 57556 ROBERT E. IBQALVLEN, or rENsncoLA, FLORIDA.

CUFF-BUTTON.

Application filed March 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. B. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at ensacola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida,have invented new and useful Improvements in Cufl Buttons, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to cuff buttons, and particularly tosafety devices which will insure against the loss of the button after ithas been placed in the cuff, the construction being such, however, asnot to interfere with the ready insertion or removal of the button fromthe cufl.

While the invention will be described and shown, as applied to cuffbuttons, it will be understood that the safety features of the devicemay be applied to other articles of jewelry or ornamentation to preventloss, and is not confined to the specific article herein illustrated. I

I accomplish the object stated by providing the shank of the button withresilient or spring means which serves to hold in proper position a baror button member interlocked with the shank of the main button member,so that until that looking bar is unseated against the pressure of thespring and moved to unlocked position, it cannot escape from the shankand will, when in place, hold the button surely in the cuff.

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, Ihave shown in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of my invention,but this, it will be understood, is illustrative only and in no senserestrictive, as it is obvious that mechanical expedients other thanthose herein disclosed and the equivalent of'those used to illustratethe invention may be adopted and Still be within the range my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure lis a View, in side elevation, of a cuff button embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a cross section on substantially the line 44 ofFig. 3 lookingdown;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation similar to Fig. 3 withthe lockingmember in position for removal.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating like partsin the several views, 10 denotes a button member which may be of anysuitable shape and de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, i921. 1921. Serial No. 450,201. 1

sign. Extending from the underside of the member 10 is a plurality ofloops 11, two being shown in the present instance. The said loops l1 lieparallel to each :otherand are closed at their outer ends preferably bybeing turned back as shown. Between their ends and preferably nearthepoint of attachment of the loops 11 to the button 1116111. ber 10 thearms of the loops are provided with offsets or swells 12 to give anenlarged opening-or passage-way in each loop, these offsets 12 beingdisposed directly opposite each other as shown. i .Housed within theloops 11 and preferably secured at one end to the button member 0, is aspring 13 herein shown as a spiral spring of a suflicient length andresiliencyto extend when expanded to the ends of the loops, as shown inFig. 1, but being capable of compression, to a sets 12 formed in FIg. 5.t The other member. of the button consists of a bar 14, having betweenits endsa bulge or enlargement 15, preferably symmetrically formed asshown, and of a, size which, while it will slide freely between theloops 11 is too large to be withdrawn laterally through those loops. Thesaid bar His engaged with the loops 11 by being passed through theoffsets or passageways 12 in the said loops until its enlarged section15 is midway between the loops 11, whereupon the spring 13 Will bereleased and the bar 141 forced downwardly by of the loops 11, where, byreason of the enlargement 15, it will be locked against displacementlaterally from the loops and by reason of the spring 13 will be heldagainst longitudinal displacement in the loops.

In order that the spring 13 may be conveniently manipulated, I provide acoil, preferably the coil at the free end of the spring, with lateralprojections 16, which the loops 11 as shown in the spring to the endspolnt inside of thevofiproject beyond or outside of the loops 11, so

as to form finger holds for compressing the spring down against thebutton member 10, when the parts are assembled or disassembled.Preferably, the projections 16, four of which are shown, although asingle projection at one side of the spring would suffice, are so shapedas to overhang the legs of the loops 11 and prevent lateral displacementof the free end of the spring 18. f

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slightly differentmechanical arrangement of thespring shank member,

manipulating projections, there being shown in that figure a followerplate 17 said fol: lower blade resting upon the free end of the spring13 or, if desired, being securedto that free end and having lateraloverhanging projections 18, which extend beyond the loops 11 and areinterlocked therewith.

The application of the button to a cuff will, it is believedbe obvious.The looking bar or member 14: will be removed by compressing the spring13 to the point where the bar 14 may be removed laterally through theoffsets 12. The loops 11, which form the shank of the button willthen'be threaded or thrust through the buttonholes in the cuff. Thespring 18, by means of the lat-: eral projections at its free end, willagain be compressed below the offsets 12 and the locking bar or memberwill then be passed laterally through the ofi'sets, until its enlargedsection 15 lies between the loops. The spring 13 will then bereleased,carry-. ing the locking bar to the ends of the loops, fromwhich position it cannot escape.

It will be observed that by arranging the parts as described, a buttonis provided which may be very quickly and easily inserted in a cuti asthe loops which form the shank, and the spring, are so arranged as thatthere is no interference with the op eration of threading the shankthrough l the buttonholes, and when member has been seated in the endsof the loops, and is held there by the spring, there is no danger ofseparation of the parts, as the bar cannot escape laterally and cannotbe accidentally'brought to its position of removal at the ofisets in theloops near their point of attachment to the main button member.

. \Nhile I have shownthe invention as applied to a rigid shank type ofbutton, it will be obvious that the loops and the contained spring whichform the shank could be mounted .upon a suitable head or base and thathead or base linked to the ornamental part of the cult button in theusual manner, so as to provide, if desired, a loose shank type ofbutton. i

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a button member, a shank member,a second button member shittable lengthwise of said means on said secondmem her to. prevent its lateral displacement relative'to said shankmember except at a predetermined point, and means acting on said secondbutton member normally to maintain said second button member out of linewith the predetermined point of lateral displacement. j 9 2. In a deviceof the class described, a button member, a shank member, a second memberinterlocked against lateral displacement except at a predetermined pointbut button. member, a shank the locking bar or button member named pointfreely movable lengthwise of said shank member, and resilient meanspressing against the second button member normally to maintain saidsecond member out of line with the predetermined point of lateraldisplacement.

3. In a device of the class described, a member comprising an open loop,a second button member interlocked against lateral displacement exceptat. a predetermined point but freely movable lengthwise oi said loop,and resilient means pressing against the second button member normallyto maintain said second button member out of line with the predeterminedpoint of lateral. displacement. 4. In a device of the class described, a

button member, a shank member comprising aplurality of open loops, asecond button member shittable lengthwise of said loops,

"means .to prevent lateral displacement pot said second button member insaidloops except at a predetermined point, and a spring pressing againsttheasecond button member normally to .maintain said second button memberout of line with the predetermined point of lateral displacement. a

5. In a device of the class described, a

button member, a shank member comprising a plurality of open loops, asecond button member shittable lengthwise of said loops, means on saidsecond button member to prevent its lateral displacement in said loopsexcept at a predetermined point, and a spring normally to maintain said:second out of line with the predetere of lateral displacement.

6. In a device of the class described, a button member, a shank membercomprising an open loop having betweenits ends a laterally enlargedpassage, a second button member freely shittable lengthwise of said loopmember butlaterally displaceable only through the laterally enlargedpassage in said loop member, and means normally to maintain said secondbutton member. out of line with the laterally enlarged passagein saidloop member. a a

7 In a device of the class described, a button-member, a shank memberformed of a plurality of loopshaving laterally offset sections betweentheir ends to provide on its ends sliding wardly bent sections betweentheir ends to provide laterally enlarged passages; a button bar havingan enlarged section between freely lengthwise of said loops andremovable laterally through said enlarged passages, a spring housedbetween said loops normally to maintain said button bar out of line withsaid laterally enlarged passages, and means extending outside of saidloops to compress said spring.

9. In a device of the class described, a

button member, a shank member comprising two loops secured to saidbutton member and having closed ends, said loops having outwardly bentsections betweentheir ends to provide laterally enlarged passages; abutton bar having an enlarged section between its ends sliding freelylengthwise of said loops and removable laterally through said enlargedpassages, a spring housed between said loops normally to maintain saidbutton bar out of line with said laterally enlarged passages, and afollower plate having portions extending outside of said loops tocompress said spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT E. B. ALLEN.

